Abstract
Study objective: The present study, set in the framework of delay discounting, investigated self-control choice in preschool children. Design : The children chose between a standard alternative (12 reinforcers available after a 10-sec delay) and an adjusting alternative (N reinforcers available after a 1-sec delay). After the delay, cartoon characters (the reinforcers) were presented on a computer display. Reinforcer amount for the adjusting alternative was changed on every trial based on an adjusting-amount procedure. The number of reinforcers in the adjusting alternative after 20 trials was the definition of the indifference point for each participant. Setting : The present study was conducted in a room in a nursery school. Participants : Nine 4-year-old children and ten 6-year-old children. Measure : The indifference points. Results : The indifference points for the 6-year-old children were significantly higher than those for the 4-year-old children. Conclusion : These findings suggest the usefulness of the framework of delay discounting for understanding the development of self-control.
